The Day She Returned
by InsanelySane
Summary: With a strong determination to break the curse, Tohru has come back 3 years later after graduation. How will she do it? How has she changed the past 3 years? Will she finally choose between yuki and kyou? [PG for mild vulgarities used. please R&R!]
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1  
  
"I'm going out for a while, is that... okay?" Yuki asked. Shigure, startled, looked up, "Eh? Aren't you afraid Akito would find out?" Yuki fell silent, "Being here any longer would only make me feel more suffocated," Shigure hesitated, "Mm, go then... but remember to return before dinner, I'll try to cover up for you..."  
  
"That's strange..." Yuki said and smirked, "A few years ago, you would have gone telling Akito that I've disobeyed him again," He said and walked out. Shigure watched as Yuki walked away, _these few years have changed him... somehow_..  
  
Yes, it had been 3 years since the trio graduated from school. Yuki remembered that day when Tohru announced she is going away:  
  
_"It is my promise made to my mother when she passed away, I want to live independently and earn money for myself," Tohru stood up and smiled, "That is why I am here to say farewell to you," She had smiled...Yuki thought. Everyone fell silent while Tohru bowed. Kyou, of course, was the one most affected. "...Impossible..." Kyou had muttered softly, as soft as it was, Yuki had heard it and before long, Kyou rushed out of the house in a fluster. Tohru wanted to give chase, "Kyou-kun!" Yuki hated it. Hated the way Tohru could so easily call Kyou by his name, even if he knew he was being selfish about it.  
  
"Honda-san..." Oh how Yuki had wished he could call Tohru by her name casually, "Are...you serious?" Tohru paused and turned around, looking at him as if looking through him, as if reading his thoughts, she smiled softly and nodded. It felt like his whole world had crashed, "Besides..." Tohru continued softly and paused. Yuki knew what she wanted to say, Yuki knew what she had thought. It was also partly because of Akito that she had wanted to leave. She could not forget the words Akito had said that day when everyone went to the Souma's house. He had paid an unexpected visit to Tohru..._ "I want to tell you something before I go; it is that after graduation, Kyou will be locked up until he dies. And you will be alone. Everyone... Yuki... Shigure... everyone will return to the Souma's house. No one can take away our unity together..."   
  
_Even though Tohru had never voiced it out, Yuki knew she was deeply affected by his words. At that time, Yuki remembered, it was dinner time and they had just finished their dinner. She was wearing a blue denim dress and her hair was plaited. "When are you leaving?" Shigure asked. "I intend to leave next week..."  
  
"Ah? So soon?" Yuki asked. Yuki knew that Tohru couldn't bear to see Kyou and the rest of the Soumas leave her, so she decided to take the right initiative to leave first. Tohru smiled again and nodded, "Where would you live?" Tohru turned to Shigure and replied, "With my grandpa and my auntie, the house where –"  
  
"Ah, I know that, I know that..." Shigure interrupted. Strange, it was not like Shigure to interrupt like that, but Yuki dismissed it. "Mm... well then, you will visit us, won't you?" Shigure asked and put on a pitiful face, "I'm going to miss all your cooking when you're gone..."  
  
"Eh... that..." Tohru smiled helplessly. A week later, she moved and the Soumas never heard of her again. It was not like her to be this irresponsible, Yuki thought but he, too, felt helpless of his own situation..._


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2  
  
Yuki walked as he passed by the houses Souma has occupied, _like Tohru had once said... this whole place is just like a village..._Yuki made a detour so that he could go out without passing by Akito's house. He looked back and sighed softly as he pushed the big entrance door. As soon as he lift his head, he gasped as he took in the figure that was standing in front of him.  
  
"Honda...-san?" He asked. How he wanted to scream and laugh out loud, how he wanted to pinch himself just then to make sure he wasn't dreaming... _3 years... 3 years of agonizing days went by without a letter nor a phone call from her, 3 years of returning back to the Souma house and living under the mental torture that Akito has put him through, 3... years...  
_  
Tohru had cut her hair short and left her fringe as long as her hair, she had a side parting now. She... had grown more matured. _Even her smile..._Yuki looked at Tohru, _does not seem as cheerful as it used to be..._ She was wearing a white office, polo top and a blue denim skirt which reaches to her knees. She was wearing white slippers and was holding a white handbag. _Just like an office woman._ She's grown a bit taller. Yuki chuckled a bit and blushed slightly, she has grown, indeed, much prettier.  
  
"3 years," she spoke, he was taken aback and looked up, there was a short pause and he nodded slightly, "Mm... 3 years indeed."  
  
"What makes you come here out of the blue...Honda-san?" Yuki asked. Tohru waved her hands a bit and placed her hand on her chest, "Please, call me Tohru..." Tohru laughed softly and smiled at him, she stepped forward, "I... just thought I'd paid a visit to you... it has been 3 years after all...I...I missed you all..." _Even though I know I should not be here, even though I should try to forget ever being with you guys... why can't I resist this temptation to never ever see you guys again? Why..._Tohru thought as her heart pounded excitedly to see Souma Yuki.  
  
He had a confident streak now, Tohru could see, 3 years after graduation and he had begun to look so much like his brother, perhaps Ayame had influenced him a little? He's grown so much taller now, Tohru realized, as he stood a head and a half well above her.  
  
"Honda-san, don't say that –"  
  
"Please, spare the formalities... I told you to call me by my name, Yuki- kun..." Tohru smiled at him. Yuki paused and blushed. It was the very first time he ever heard her call his name. But it was strange, however, to call Tohru by her name after so long, "Mm... I've gotten used to calling you Honda- san, that's all..." There was an awkward pause. "Ah, I almost forget, please, come in and have a seat, Shigure and the rest of them would be very happy to see you here," Yuki said and opened the door for her.  
  
"Mm... would they..." Tohru looked down helplessly. "Eh?" Yuki looked up at her, "Ah, nothing, I would love to come in..." Tohru said and went in. "Ahh... nothing's changed here at all..."  
  
_Indeed... nothing's changed..._Tohru thought and sighed. The very first person whom she thought of seeing was Kyou, he was the reason why she was here. The first few months are graduation, she couldn't sit still for one moment. Even her grandpa could sensed that something was wrong, if it wasn't cleaning the house again and again, it was spending most of her time in the kitchen, sometimes dazing off and wondering how Kyou is doing and whether he is coping. She felt so terrible having to think that Kyou would be kept in a cage.  
  
"Over here, Honda-san, ano... Tohru-kun!" Yuki waved, she turned and followed him. She smiled at him, "Hai!"  
  
"We could avoid getting caught by Akito if we go this route..." Yuki said and led the way to his house, where Shigure was there. He looked up and was taken aback by the sudden appearance of Tohru, he regarded her for a while and pinched himself really hard. He let out a howl, "TOHRU-KUN you really ARE here!!!!" He came over to Tohru and folded his arms, "Ha-ha" He said as though he has caught Tohru doing something really bad, "You seem to have changed..." Tohru smiled.  
  
Sure enough, Shigure was still goofy, and he still wears his kimonos. There was a short pause where they heard the answering machine came on and Shigure's editor screamed and wailed. Shigure gave an amused smile. Tohru smiled again, "And you haven't changed a bit!"  
  
"Ano sa... what have you been doing after graduation?" Shigure asked. Tohru smiled widely, "I went to work of course, I'm now a senior executive of a small company..."  
  
"Ah?..." Shigure stared in utter shock, Yuki glared at him, "What?" Tohru blinked. "Ah, sorry, but it is not like Tohru-kun to get a job in the office, I used to think you would do something like a nurse," Yuki gave a wry smile, "...nurse?"  
  
"But Tohru-kun, you do look so much differently from the past," Shigure smiled cheekily at Tohru, looking at her from top to bottom. Yuki glared at Shigure again.  
  
"Ah? Does it not suit me?" Tohru said, waving her hands to make an attempt to cover her face. "Ah, that's not what I meant," Shigure said, "You look better and much prettier than before," Shigure nodded bemusedly. "But aren't you supposed to be at work now?"  
  
Tohru looked at Shigure, "Ah, I applied leave for the day, but my boss said I deserved a week, I don't know why he would say that," Tohru said and recalled the incident:  
  
"Hmm... I see...Since you have a week of leave, would you like to see the rest of the Souma?"  
  
"Ah... I don't expect much, I don't want to give Shigure-san too much trouble,"  
  
"No trouble at all, after all, you came from so far to visit us," Shigure said and stood up, "I should make plans, would you like to stay overnight for the week?"  
  
"Eh?" Tohru looked up.  
_"Ano, sensei, I want to apply a day's leave...becau—"  
  
"NO NO YOU DESERVED A WEEK OF LEAVE I INSIST!" Her boss exclaimed happily, "Ano..." Sensei pat her on the back, "I know you've been working hard for the past 3 years, you have never applied any leave even if you are sick,"  
  
"Ah?! You..." Her boss nodded complacently as Tohru blushed, "It must be very important to you, yah? Don't worry, leave all matters to me!"  
  
"SENSEI" Tohru exclaimed happily in happy tears, "thank you!!"_  
  
"Mm... Akito would want to see any of us at anytime... it would be rather dangerous if everyone came to visit you, it would be too suspicious," Shigure said.  
  
_Shigure seemed to have become more serious than in the past..._Tohru noticed but dismissed it, "Ano!"  
  
"Eh?" Shigure paused when he picked up the phone call. After a short pause, Tohru regarded him, "_Arigatou_..." That was all she could say as Shigure smiled at her and patted her head as if she was his child.  
  
_It has been 3 years. I've never written any letter, never give any phone calls, never even visited them... I... had been so cold to them, yet...yet Yuki and Shigure has been showing me so much care and concern..._ Tohru buried her face with both her hands as tears flowed down her eyes.  
  
"Honda-san!"  
  
"Tohru-kun?!"  
  
"I'm so sorry...! I left so quickly... and I was so irresponsible as to not send you a word of my well-being throughout the past 3 years I was gone... yet... yet you guys are here... showing me such care and concern... I'm so sorry," Tohru said in between sobs.  
  
"Honda-san..." Yuki said, "We have not forgotten how you've treated us throughout the times you've been with us, you've been so nice and caring towards us, you helped us through our darkest times... this is... nothing compared to how you've been caring for us..." Tohru fell silent.  
  
"Besides..." Yuki said as he approached Tohru, she looked up and saw him smiling softly at her, "you must have your reasons... that's why you left so quickly and didn't keep in touch after that... We understand..." Yuki said. Tohru looked at Yuki as he reaches out to help her.  
  
_Thank you..._ Tohru said softly in her heart. _Thank you for being so kind and understanding... Yuki-kun...Indeed, she did have reasons for being so cold after leaving suddenly.  
_  
It all started when... ...  
  
[OOC: As requested, here's some of the translations for the Japanese language used in the story: I'll try my best to explain them.

Ano – 'that;those' but in the anime, they used it to call people politely like 'ano... Shigure-san...'  
  
Sensei – a teacher, a master, something you used to call your seniors.  
  
Arigatou – Thank You

Hai - Yes  
  
The suffixes you see right from the start, are terms you use to call people with.  
  
Shigure-san: Mr. Shigure (this applies to both girls and boys)

Yuki-kun: A suffix you use to address good friends.]


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3  
  
...they were spending their holidays at a bungalow Souma had, Momiji rented it for a week. The bungalow was near the beach and a forest. Haru, Kyou, Yuki, Momiji, Hiro and Kisa had come to the occasion.  
  
They were having fun at first, but in the middle of the week, Akito paid an unexpected visit. _Momiji was there when Akito confronted Tohru...It was strange that up until now, Momiji had not mentioned the confrontation to the others._ Everyone went to a gathering with Akito during that day, which leaves Tohru and Kyou behind. "Don't look at me like that... the Cat did not belong in the _Jyunishi_ in the first place..." Kyou said and looked away, slightly flushed. Tohru smiled at that time, even though her heart was heavy with feelings about Akito's sudden appearance, "Let's make something for them to eat when they get back! Kyou-kun, what would you like to eat?"  
  
"Rice cakes..."  
  
"Rice cakes? Kyou-kun likes them?"  
  
"No, I just haven't eaten them for a very long time..."  
  
"Okay! Then let's make rice cakes for them!" Tohru said, grabbing Kyou's hand and dragging him into the kitchen. Kyou could not help but smiled shyly at her. They made rice cakes and when the rest got back, they ate heartily. The next day, Kyou was assigned to go and see Akito, it was also another strange thing considering Akito has never wanted anything to do with Kyou. Tohru waited for Kyou to return and hoped he came back with a smile on his face.  
  
But that was not what happened, Tohru happened to catch a glimpse of Kyou frowning, yet when he saw her, his face lit up and smiled at her, "Kyou- kun!" She smiled back, "Yo...You waited for me?" Kyou asked, Tohru nodded and Kyou blushed slightly again when he regarded her. He punched playfully at Tohru's head, "_Baka_," he said. Even though Kyou had never expressed his concern or unhappiness in front of her, Tohru could sense that whatever happened back at Akito's house, Kyou was deeply affected by it. Yet, she had no courage to voice her concerns, no will to ask for fear of spoiling the happy mood between them.  
  
Alas, Tohru had expected that the last person Akito would want to see, was her. It was late at night and Tohru was worried for Kyou, for she had accidentally heard Kyou telling Momiji to protect her no matter what happens after graduation. _What would happen after graduation? Why is Kyou saying all that?_ Hard as she might try, she could not sleep. Suddenly, she heard people talking faintly.  
  
It was Momiji's...  
  
"I want to see Tohru," It was more of a command than of a request. Momiji guarded the door, "No, even if you want to see her, she's already asleep,"  
  
"Then wake her up now,"  
  
Momiji stood still, unable to reply but he guarded the door. "What is this...? What are you trying to do? Are you... are you disobeying me, Momiji- san..." Momiji did not move, perhaps he should have but it was too late, a hard punch hit him on his left jaw and he fell on the ground, scraping his knee. "_Yameru_!!!!" Momiji heard Tohru's voice, he turned around to see if it was true and she was there, looking concerned and bewildered. "Tohru-kun!"  
  
"Momiji, go away, I have to talk to Honda-san," Akito glared at Momiji. He got the feeling if he would not go, Akito would personally call him over for a nice confrontation of his own. He could see feel the throbbing sensation on his jaw and it felt hot and slick. Akito had hit him so hard that blood trickled down his face. He stood up, gritting on his teeth as his knee hurts. He took one last glance at Tohru and walked away. Even though Akito commanded him to go, he made a detour to get to a corner where he could hear Akito speak to Tohru. He was too worried for Tohru to care for his well-being.  
  
"I want to tell you something before I go; after graduation, Kyou will be locked up until he dies. And you will be alone. Everyone... Yuki... Shigure... everyone will return to the Souma's house. No one can take away our unity together...You will be all alone... I assure you of that...nobody would spoil our happiness, _nobody_..."  
  
"Ky...Kyou-kun would be locked...up...?" It was strange at that time, even though Akito was speaking, all she could focus on was Kyou and she felt like someone had just punched her in the gut, the realization of why Kyou was acting strange when he came back. _Akito could have reminded Kyou about his jailed life. Why didn't she notice it before? _She felt like something contricted around her heart. _Kyou..._  
  
With a quick flash, Akito slapped Tohru hard on the face, the force of the blow sent her losing her balance and falling to the ground, while she stayed there, Akito kneeled down and gripped hard on her hair, whispering to her, "You have no business with us, all from the start, you are just a tool...After everyone moved back to the Souma, I will not allow any one of the Souma to see you, _and I have the power to do that.._.So I suggest you move away after graduation...leave and _never _come back. Forget all of us..." ..._forget all of the Jyunishi would be to forget and throw away the happiness and warmth I've always known in the Souma family... _Tohru wanted to say, but don't.  
  
Akito let go and stood up, he turned around, just to catch a glance of Momiji, he smirked and walked away. "Tohru-kun!_ Daijobu_?" Tohru smiled at him while Momiji helped Tohru up and both of them went back to bed in silence.  
  
... ... ... Tohru sat back in solitude as she thought about what happened 3 years ago. After Akito's appearance, she tried to shrug off, dismiss and forget everything Akito had said, but if Akito said was true...then she would really be alone. The pain of watching them leave, just the mere thought of them leaving her one by one sent her thinking and planning for the future.  
  
Too afraid and confused and not knowing what to do, she felt that the quickest possible way to sort out her thoughts and feelings was to bail as quickly as she can. Thinking back those days, _huh..._Tohru sighed and flicked away a tear that was threatening to fall, _how selfish could she be at that time...? How could she not spare a thought for Kyou? For Yuki? For Momiji and the rest?_  
  
"TOHRU-KUN!!!!!" She heard a familiar cheerful voice rang behind her, she turned around and a pair of arms wrapped around her, as soon as the smoke cleared, she noticed a little bunny smiling at her, she hugged him back, "Momiji-kun!!" She looked up, there stood Kisa and Hiro together. "Kisa- san! Hiro-san!" Tohru exclaimed, shocked to see how much Kisa and Hiro has matured. Kisa has grown tire of the dresses and have fully grown into a beautiful teenager. She was wearing blue jeans and a floral t-shirt. Hiro wore cargo pants and a sleeveless white shirt. _Seems like the both of them are still inseparable._ A pity Momiji's transformed into a bunny, or she could see how Momiji has changed since graduation. "_Kirei_...Kisa-san is really pretty!" Kisa came over to hug Tohru, "Tohru-kun has changed too, you've grown much prettier!" Kisa smiled and blushed, "Eh?" She looked up at Hiro. Hiro grinned. Tohru smiled, _he's become so matured..._ "Hiro-san has grown very matured," Tohru said and smiled. Kisa looked up at Hiro and smiled softly at Hiro, returning to his side.  
  
"How have you been these days?" Tohru looked at Hiro and Kisa. Kisa blushed slightly and avoided eye contact. Hiro regarded Kisa for a while, smiling softly. _Just like love-birds..._Tohru smiled widely.   
  
"They're together" Momiji cut in, "Akito has approved of their relationship!"  
  
"EH?" Tohru exclaimed. "But how...?"  
  
"Shigure-san went to talk to him," Momiji said, "Knowing Shigure is the only one who can talk to Akito...Hiro-chan went to talk to Shigure... and he agreed to help Hiro-chan..." On hearing that, Hiro held Kisa's hand and smiled at her. She blushed slightly.  
  
_**POM!**_

Tohru looked away, allowing Momiji to change back into his clothes. "Hi again, Tohru-kun!" Tohru turned around and gasped. Momiji has also become such a handsome young man. He has 4 ear studs on his left ear and grown half a head taller than Tohru, he still had the cheerful disposition that he always have and he still wore French suits. His blond hair has grown longer too.

"Yo, Tohru-kun, we have to go back home, lunch is almost ready," Hiro regarded Kisa and gave her hand a tiny squeeze, "Let's go back before your _Oka-san_ starts to worry," Kisa looked at Tohru. She gave a short nod, Kisa regarded Hiro and smiled as she nodded. Within a short while, Hiro and Kisa had left. Tohru thought about Momiji and his mother, and couldn't help but looked at him, feeling heavy at her heart.  
  
"Tohru-kun... how... have you been these few years...?" Momiji's tone became serious. Tohru looked at Momiji. _He must still be thinking about what happened..._  
  
"What... made you come back again?" Momiji said softly and looked at Tohru sadly. Tohru remained silent. _Because of so many things..._ She wanted to say. _Because...  
_  
[OOC: So sorry I had so many mistakes in this chapter! I edited it so I wouldn't sound like a typo-freak. .; I forgot about the Japanese thing, so here I am, explaining the terms used...I hope reading my chapters wasn't too painful ((I know it's reeally long, but bear with me, okay?)). I even made sure it was nicely paragraphed so it wouldn't look, frustratingly, like a dizzy blot of words... The plot is going to kick off now and along the way, I'll introduce how the rest have changed over the years. =] I hope you enjoy my story! It's my first fanfic I ever wrote! ((As you can see so obviously, this is a kyoru fic. I don't like Yuki, so I wrote less of him. XP... ))

Baka - Idiot  
  
Yamete - Stop  
  
Daijobu – Are You All Right?  
  
Kirei – Pretty 

Oka-san - Mother]

Jyunishi - the 12 animal zodiac]


	4. Chapter 4

"I want to break the curse," Tohru said softly. Momiji looked up at her silently. She did not understand why that wish became so overbearing, but she wanted it to come true, even if she did not know how. Silently in her heart, she had hoped and thought that if she had broken the curse, Kyou would be free and he would no longer live in a cage.  
  
_How does it feel like to wake up to four walls surrounding you? To have the feeling like something is hiding in the shadows from the four corners of the walls? To have a morbid sense that the walls are closing in on you and you have absolutely nowhere to hide? No one to be with, just you and the walls, just you and the shadows. Just you._  
  
Momiji nodded silently, "It is impossible to," He looked away. _That feeling again, where it felt like someone had just punched her in the stomach._ It felt like the sorrow and sympathy she had been feeling moved right up to the back of the throat, she swallowed hard. _She must be strong_. "Momiji..." Tohru placed her hand on Momiji's, she felt his hand tensed up a bit, but relaxed after a while. Both of them regarded each other in silence, "If there is a way, at least, I must try. Even if it is impossible to, at least there is still hope and I won't give up now. If I can't do it right this time, I'll do it right the next. I know that even Momiji-kun would want to be able to hug your sister, without having to worry about transforming... I know that everyone else feels that way too... I..." Tohru paused and looked at Momiji, he had begun to look away and refused eye contact. _Tip-tip-tip ... that sound..._ "Mo...miji-kun?" _He was crying.  
_  
With a swift turn, Momiji wrapped his arms around Tohru's neck and enjoyed the embrace for a few minutes, _she's here... she's real...,_ before he transformed again. Tohru smiled widely at Momiji again.  
  
"If you want to know how to break the curse, you must ask Shigure-san, I bet he knows..." Momiji said. "Shigure-san?" Tohru asked. _How could it be? How could Shigure know so much about the curse? Yet he had not spoken a word about it?_ As if reading her mind, Momiji relaxed in her arms, "Hmn... Shigure is very close to Akito, for some reason... and Akito listens to him sometimes. _Shigure-san's grandfather was the previous God in the Jyunishi_, back then, Shigure-san was a child," Shigure's grandfather was the previous God? Tohru listened on intently, "Back then, Shigure's grandfather's health deteriorated until the point where he was bed-ridden and during that time, Shigure's grandfather called Shigure in and told him something about the curse, and to look after the new God when he is gone,"  
  
"As soon as his grandfather died, Akito was born 2 weeks later and the curse was reborn again. Until now, we do not know what his grandfather told him... but we all know that Shigure remembers it," Momiji said and paused as he regarded Tohru. "Momiji-kun... how do you know so much?"  
  
"At that time, only Ayame and Hatori was borned... I..." Momiji blushed, "had also thought about breaking the curse, and I asked...  
  
_Hatori: "I don't know anything about it, don't ask so much,"  
  
Ayame: "HAHAHA! Let uncle Ayame tell you what happened... but on one condition!!! YUKI our close bond must not be broken Because of my endless love for my brother and because of my hopes to see Yuki be able to open his heart out to his most dearest and closest girl in his life recently cough Tohru cough... to be able to carry out MAN'S ROMANCE! HAHAHA! Once Yuki Blah he will... blah and Yuki... blah then Yuki could... blah..._ (Editor's note: Ayame just talks too much but I love him nonetheless! HAHAHA! –ahem-)  
  
"That's how I knew..."  
  
"Momiji-kun... why didn't you tell me...?" Tohru asked. Momiji defended, "I intended to, but the time I went to Shigure-san's house, he explained that you had returned to your grandpa's house..."  
  
_**POM!!!**_

"EH!!" Tohru looked away and blushed. "_Gomen_ Tohru-kun!" Momiji changed back into his clothes, leaning forward so he could whisper into her ear, "Thank you for coming back," He let the words register in Tohru's head, he smiled widely and winked at her before he turned and left, leaving Tohru with hot tears trickling down her face.

[_After word_: I just adore Momiji in the anime, so much so that I gave him so much time in the story, heh. I tried to write the characters as close as they can be... especially Momiji, in this essay, you would have seen both sides of Momiji, I guess... the serious and the cheerful, but because I wanted this fanfic to be as serious as possible, I made him more serious than cheerful. I especially enjoyed writing the characters out. Perhaps those who have watched the anime, would have noticed the drastic change in Tohru although I have kept some parts of her personality, like how she always like to smile and stuff. I wanted a more serious Tohru in this story... so yeah. Thanks to those who reads my fanfic even though it's really painful to because of the long chapters... Little word on next 2 chapters is that Tohru is going to talk to Shigure and find out how the curse could be broken AND she meets Kyou!  
  
Anyway, here's the explanation of the Japanese language I've used in this chapter.  
  
Gomen – Sorry; can also be in a longer form _Gomenasai_ or _sumimasen_ (if you had watched the anime, those are the words Rin kept saying when she thinks she's done something wrong. ) 


	5. Chapter 5 Part I

[That same day]  
  
"Ano... Yuki-kun? Where's Shigure-san?" Tohru asked. Yuki looked up at her, "He went out with Akito, what's the matter?" Yuki asked. Tohru smiled and shook her head slightly, "It's nothing... really... I'll just ask him when he gets back, thank you... I'll just be going out to take a stroll for a while," Yuki looked at her and smiled softly, "Do be careful and take care," Tohru nodded and blushed slightly and went out.  
  
Kyou sat in the corner, the cage had a window where very limited sunlight could get in. It was small, dark and damp. It also had an extension room which led to the bathroom, so every need is taken care of in the cage itself. The walls in both of the bathroom and the main room were old, Akito had never bothered to ask the servants to repaint them, so pieces on the wall were starting to come off. The entire room was very sterile, grey walls surrounded Kyou. As he stood up to look out of the window, all he could see, were more walls, just that the walls were a storey high and they were made of bamboo. The door into the cage could only be opened from the outside and even the only window (That is, the only window able to look out to see what's on the outside) had titanium bars so Kyou could not escape. It was a cage in a cage.

_Enough to suffocate him. The darkness in the room seems to envelop him, the shadows seemed to be moving and whispering to him, the walls seemed to be getting closer and closer together._ He listened to the voices whispering to him, and he punched the wall hard, creating a small dent in it, "Shut up..." They did not listen, the whispers were getting louder and louder. Each time the decibel raises by a level, he punched the wall, again and again. His knuckles had begun to bleed by the force Kyou exerted on the wall, but he did not care. Why should he? Suddenly, the voices stopped. Kyou collapsed on the ground again, exhausted.  
  
He heard the door unlock from the outside, and a servant peeked her head in, "Kyou-sama? It is time for your shower," Kyou ignored the servant as he panted heavily. "Kyou-sama?" The servant prompted. Kyou glared at the servant, and placing an emphasis on every word he said, "I understand, now get lost," The servant was startled, then politely, she bowed, "Yes..." With that, she placed the pile of fresh, new clothes and towel on the ground before she retreated. Somehow, that reminded him of Tohru.  
  
_Tohru who was always smiling at him. Tohru who was always playing and joking with him. Tohru who accepted him. Tohru who worries for him. Tohru who never blamed him whenever he raised his voice at her. Tohru who was always patient and caring towards him. Tohru who, openly and shamefully for that matter, told him she liked the cat in the Jyunishi.  
  
Tohru who left.  
_

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[**After word]**

I broke down Chapter 5 into 2 parts, so that reading would not be such a pain. Thanks to those who have reviewed my fanfic. I appreciated it very much and it was all so very nice of you guys to do so! I've already gotten the whole story planned up in my mind and I promise the ending won't be long! I actually wanted, not a bathroom in the cage, but a bathroom outside the cage in the compound... but that wouldn't be very liable considering I wanted Tohru to enter the compound freely, and if by doing so, then Kyou could have escaped very easily. So... =[ I had to make an extension bathroom instead, which sucked because I wanted Kyou to (almost) kiss her but pushed her away instead because of the curse and what not... oh well, I guess I could modify it a bit... ; ... No new Japanese language was used. I especially liked the last part where Kyou was thinking of Tohru... but well, anyways, hope you enjoyed this part of the chapter!


	6. Chapter 5 Part II

Kyou punched the wall once more and let out a frustrated yell. He stood up and picked up his clothes and made his way to the bathroom and wished that Tohru would be here to ease the pain away.  
  
Tohru walked around the village-like compound of the Souma and leaned against a tree as she recalled the many wonderful memories she shared with the Souma. Oh how she missed them so.  
  
"N_obody would spoil our happiness, nobody.. You will be all alone...leave and never come back. Forget all of us..._" Tohru winced as she recalled the words Akito said. She looked up in the sky and bit back tears. However, out in the corner of her eye, she spotted a secluded area surrounded by bamboo, it was isolated from the other Souma houses, which made it stood out. "Eh?" Why didn't she notice this before when she came here all the previous times? She walked towards it curiously and spotted a gate. It was unlocked.  
  
She pushed the gate open and there, in the middle of the bamboo compound, stood a little house. It was most probably the size of one tiny room. She approached it curiously and noticed a window. _It looked like a jail more like a house._ Suddenly, the realization dawned over her. Kyou... "Kyou..." Tohru called, "Kyou!" She called, this time even louder, her heart beating with anticipation as she felt her adrenaline pumping, with each time she called out his name, her heart seemed to beat faster and faster.  
  
Kyou perked up his senses in the bathroom, _I must be thinking too much..._ There it was again, Tohru's voice calling his name. Each time she called, he blinked hard and shook his head. _It can't be_. He shook his head. "KYOU!!" This time, Kyou could hear Tohru's voice loud and clear, he jumped as hard as his heart did. He dried up as quickly as he could and changed into his clothes as he ran, and nearly slipped, to the window. Looking at the figure by the window, he laughed. "Tohru..." He said slowly, taking in everything of her, he laughed again.  
  
He went over to the window, she was clutching the titanium bars, as if if she worked hard, she could break the titanium bars and allow him to escape. "Tohru..." He said again. She looked at him breathlessly, her heart beating so quickly and she smiled softly. _Why was she feeling this way?_ She could not understand. "Kyou-kun!" Tohru said happily. Kyou smiled as he placed his hand on her face, swiping away the unwanted strands of hair on her face. She's changed so much... "What's wrong?" Tohru looked at him worriedly. Kyou shook his head as he pulled Tohru closer, such that their heads were between the bars and their foreheads were touching each other. Tohru blushed but closed her eyes, it was the first time she's ever been so physically close to Kyou, considering the curse had never allowed her and any of the Souma hug.  
  
Wordlessly, they stayed there for a few minutes, enjoying each other's company. As they pulled away from each other, he smiled and merely said thanks. "_A...arigatou? Doushite..._?" Tohru asked. He said nothing, but there was a hint of sorrow and loneliness in his eyes. He turned and faced away from her, "Go..."_ Even his voice... _"Go..." Tohru took a step back. "I came back to stop the curse... I know that if I do, you will be free, everybody will be... I was stupid to leave, _sumimasen_..., but I won't leave again..." Tohru paused and hesitated, "Not until I break the curse," She let the words register. As she waited for a response, there were none. Feeling like her heart gripped onto something hard, she ran out of the compound and back into where Yuki and Shigure lived in.  
  
Yuki, seeing Tohru all flustered, got up, "What's wrong, Honda-san?" Even if he tried, he could not bring himself to call Tohru by her name, he was too used to calling her Honda-san. Tohru shook her head and smiled, "Yoshi! It's been a long time since I last cooked for you guys, let me see if I have improved!" Yuki looked at Tohru and smiled as Tohru makes her way to the kitchen to prepare food. "Ah, Yuki-kun? If Shigure-san returns, please tell him that I would like to request a talk with him urgently," Tohru smiled as Yuki nodded.  
  
...  
  
...  
  
"EH? Tohru-kun wants to talk to me?" Shigure said in dramatic tears, "That is such an honor!! TOHRU-KU-" With a swift move, Yuki slapped on Shigure's head. Hard. "AIYOH! Yuki-kun how can you be so cruel?!"  
  
Yuki walked into the room while muttering, "Baka," under his breath.

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[ After Word ]  
  
That's it for Chapter 5... hope it's not too long! Thanks for reading!   
  
Doshite - Why


	7. Chapter 6a

While Tohru was in the kitchen, preparing the dishes, Shigure came in and leaned against the counter, watching her cut the vegetables intently. "Yuki said you wanted to talk to me?" Shigure said. He was in his dark blue kimono. Tohru jumped as he spoke, she dropped the knife, "Eh? Shigure-san! You scared me!"

"You look distracted," Shigure said. Tohru looked at him and nodded slightly, "Hn, I saw Kyou today," Tohru looked up at him.

Shigure said nothing but chuckled and fold his arms as he waited for her to speak, Tohru regarded Shigure and looked away and picked up the knife she dropped, "Hmn, and Momiji-kun told me…" She continued cutting the vegetables, "That you know something about the curse," Shigure looked at her wide-eyed, after a moment, he regained his composure and chuckled a bit as he looked down on the floor, "Didn't I say this before? Just… be yourself,"

Tohru slammed the knife down and looked at Shigure crossly, "Just be myself? I tried that 3 years ago," Tohru remained her gaze on Shigure. It was the first time Shigure ever saw her mad, _she has grown much stronger_… _yes, indeed_… "It didn't work," Shigure leaned closer to her, "The curse is unbreakable," Tohru leaned closer to him, such that they were face to face, "I got the feeling you are not telling the truth," Tohru said. "And why would I want to do that? That is preposterous! How could you even doubt me, Tohru-kun!"

Tohru maintained her gaze on Shigure for a while, before she broke the gaze and returned to cut the vegetables, silence was remained until Tohru had finished cutting down and putting them into a bowl. Tohru then proceeded to place seasonings on the meat, "You know how to break the curse… but Shigure-san," Shigure regarded Tohru as she spoke softly, she spoke so softly, he had to strain to hear, "You don't want the curse to be broken, because you know that once the curse is broken, you can no longer be in control of Akito," Tohru said as a matter-of-factly, Shigure was stunned.

Tohru thought about how Akito would only listen to Shigure, _why of all people would Akito **only **listen to Shigure?_ Just then, Shigure let out a loud laugh, which almost sounded sinister, _How could she read him like a book? All these years trying to keep whatever selfish wishes he had for the Souma…How could she… _From the look on Shigure's face, Tohru knew that what she had said, was true. That very instant, anger struck her.

"Have you thought about what would happen to the Souma after you passed away? You are the only one who knew how to break the curse, to free the Souma… yet you are so selfish about it… I never thought Shigure-san would be these kind of people," Her eyes now brimming with tears, struck Shigure with a pang of guilt in his stomach. _Her words were so true… so irritatingly, disgustingly true._ And that made Shigure furious;His gut fuming with anger.

He punched the counter, "Do you think, _actually think_, that I would do that!?" He said, raising his voice a little, trying to defend what little morals and dignity he has got left, his heart filling up with shame. "The curse, everyone from the outside who comes to know of the Souma secret wants to break it, they think they have the ability to do that, they think they have the power to do that, even Kana…"

_Kana…? Hatori's ex-girlfriend?_


	8. Chapter 6b

"Look at what happened to her!"

"I thought it was becau—"

Shigure laughed aloud, "Ha! Hatori didn't know, but I was there, _I was there_… when Kana entered that room, determined to do just that after Hatori had been warded to the hospital for his eye treatment… Akito, he… he just pushed her down and started beating her. I tried to hold him back, I tried… but Akito just kept thrashing her, yelling to me to stay away unless I wanted to get beaten up too," Shigure closed his eyes while he cupped his chin with his hand. Tohru stopped. _That was why Kana was hospitalized… perhaps that was what made Akito had the upper-hand to manipulate Hatori to erase her memories… _

"Yes, I do have selfish wishes of my own… who doesn't?!" Shigure continued, "I wanted to continue to control Akito to get whatever I wanted, but on the other hand… I thought that if I did, I could change his mind… I…"

Tohru regarded Shigure for a while, "Tell me how to break the curse, tell me what your grandfather said that day,"

"You!" Shigure said, startled, "You still want to break the curse?! After how Kana had ended up into!? Aren't you afraid?!"

Tohru heated up the wok and poured oil into it, "I _am_ afraid. But I made a promise to myself, and to the Souma," _and to Kyou, as well,_ "That I won't ever leave this place, until the curse is broken… And I won't give up until I do."

Shigure swallowed hard as his adrenaline pumped, shocked to see Tohru this determined. "It is… like this," Shigure paused.

_That day, the sky was dark and threatening to rain, everybody was gathered outside the Main House, where Shigure's grandfather had lived all his life. At that time, Shigure, Hatori and Ayame were not cursed by the Jyunishi There were whispers, "what is happening? Why are we sent here?" Ayame and Hatori rushed into the Main House, only to find Shigure on his knees, shaking terribly, his eyes brimming with tears. "He's dying…" _

_"Gyojin-sama calls for you, Shigure," Shigure looked up to see his mother looking sinisterly down at him, "_Get in,_" she said. Shigure remained on the ground, "Get up, GET UP," His mother kicked him. Ayame gasped and rushed over to Shigure's aid and helped him up, Shigure's mother looked at Ayame coldly, "**Only** Shigure is allowed to go in," As his mother made another dash to kick Shigure, Hatori lunged forward and held her back, she transformed, instead, into a dog. With a grunt, Shigure's mother ran off. Yes, Shigure's mother was the dog in the jyunishi, and his father was the tiger._

_ Shigure looked at Ayame and smiled helplessly, "Sumimasen…" Ayame smiled back understandingly, "Daijobu…" _

_Shigure entered a large, sterile room, the walls were painted grey and the smell of incense was heavily strong in the room. **Lavender**… Shigure noticed the smell. "Shigure…" He heard his grandfather spoke in a low and mysterious tone, his grandfather coughed softly, "Come to my side," Shigure nervously went over. _


	9. Chapter 6c

_Like Akito, his grandfather was cold, sinister and utterly fearfully respected. However, oddly enough, Shigure was the only person he had ever shown care and concern in. _

_"My time… is limited," Shigure saw his grandfather strained to breathe heavily and it ached Shigure's heart to see his grandfather struggle painfully, "Do you… know how to break the curse?" _

_"Wakaranai…" Shigure said softly. His grandfather coughed again, "The Gods chosen in the Jyunishi… suffers a very great deal, even more than the ones cursed with the animals, with that, they are borne with a fragile body, prone to illnesses and diseases, and…" His grandfather turned to look at him. Shigure could tell that with every movement his grandfather made, he felt pain all over his body, but nevertheless, tried to cover it up and pretended to be strong. "Oji-chan!" Shigure called out aloud. "With that, all of the Gods in the jyunishi are also given a power to control the animals too… but in exchange, a heavy burden… a grudge was lodged deep inside their very hearts… as long as this grudge is still with them, they would never be free… Only an Outsider who knows of this secret could free them…" _

_Shigure held his grandfather's hand and gave it a squeeze, "yes… an Outsider who accepts us wholeheartedly and willingly, who would love the Cat in the jyunishi which carries the heaviest burdens of the animals in the jyunishi… an Outsider who must free the God from its grudge, its burdens…When I die, your parents would no longer be cursed with the animals of the Jyunishi… but once the new God is reincarnated… a new set of people would be cursed again… the cycle repeats over and over until one could get sick of it… thankfully, I don't live that long… So when the new God is reincarnated, take care of him and try to make his tormented life, at least, less painful…" A long pause._

_ "They must be very happy…" He finally spoke and wheezed as he laughed, "To see me dead," He coughed again, "They must be…" _

_Shigure felt his grandfather's grip loosened, "Oji-chan…!" Shigure shook the body anxiously. "OJI-CHAN!" He hollered but the body did not move. It will never be. _

"Though Kana accepted the Souma as it is, she did not love the Cat and her wanting to forget us told us that she had not accepted us wholeheartedly…" Shigure folded his arms again, "It happens like this…" Shigure said. Tohru had already finished cooking the meal, she passed a plate of chicken teriyaki to him, gesturing for him to help her serve.

"Ah Tohru-kun!" Shigure said and whiffed in the delicious smell of the chicken, his stomach rumbled, "It's been so long since we've eaten your meals!" Shigure was back to his old self as he smiled at her. She smiled back. As he went out, his back facing, he told Tohru, "I beg of you not to break it, it… is for your own good, even if you can't break the curse, we Soumas will never blame you, we are already thankful you are here with us," Tohru regarded Shigure's back and smiled softly.

As he took a step, he heard Tohru mutter softly under her breath, "Thank you… Shigure-san." Even though she meant to say that softly, he had heard, and his heart filled up with relief and glee. _Thank **you**, Tohru-kun…I have kept this in my heart for 20 years…_

He stepped out of the kitchen, only to find Yuki caught in the act of eavesdropping. Yuki blushed, then walked back into his room, not saying a word.

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[After Word]

That's it for chapter 6, this time, I broke it down to 3 parts. _Wow_… imagine if I had clumped them all together. O.O scary… hope it's not too bad and corny for you to take it… Next chapter would be… Tohru would visit Kyou again! XD! More Kyouru scenes! Woot! Also, Hatori, Ayame and Hatsuharu appears in the next chapter as well. All that's left is Kagura and Ritsu to appear. And Uo and Saki. ;

Wakaranai – I don't know.


	10. Chapter6c extra

"Yuki?" Tohru knocked on his bedroom door, she twisted the door knob and heard a click. The door was unlocked. "Yuki?" Tohru prompted again. Yuki jumped, alarmed, obviously distracted. "Time for dinner, Yuki-kun," Yuki turned around and nodded. Tohru wanted to turn around, but heard Yuki muttered something under his breath, "…I love you," She turned back, "Eh?" Obviously not hearing the confession.

Yuki looked up and shook his head, "It was nothing," He said as he stood up and walked out to the dining room.

_It was stupid of me to like Tohru this long… utterly stupid of me, even after she left, even after I tried to forget her, even after I had tried so hard, I was unable to forget her. Everything in that house reminded me of her, even when I returned to the Souma house. When I opened my eyes, I thought of her. When I closed them, I still thought of her. I would be thinking, **perhaps she would return, perhaps she would be in the kitchen cooking up something splendid and delicious for all of us to eat, perhaps she would be there.** I was too naïve. _

_Far, far too naïve. _

_I thought I had forgotten her, I was sure I had at some point of time. But when she was standing there by the Main gate, having the smile that I know for so long, my whole world went upside down and my heart felt like it could burst. It was right then that I knew, dear Tohru, that I love you._

_Yet, back then, Shigure's words had affected me so deeply. Love the cat!? When he said that, I felt so insignificant. I wish I could crumple up in that corner of my bedroom and wished I stayed there forever. What kind of absurd joke is the world playing with me?! I will never lose Tohru to Kyou. Never. _

Yuki took a bite at Tohru's chicken teriyaki and smiled at her, "Tohru-kun's cooking has improved!" There was an awkward silence between the both of them, Tohru stared down in her bowl of rice, stunned to have heard Yuki call her name so casually. When she regained her composure, she smiled widely at Yuki and blushed slightly, "Ah, maybe it is because you have not eaten my meals for a very long time!"

Yuki smiled and chuckled, "Yes, perhaps it is,"

"YUKI!!!! HA HA HA," Yuki's hair stood up. _It's him… it's him…_ "HAHAHA!"

_No doubt…_ He turned around and smiled, "oni-chan!"

"Oni…-_chan_?" Tohru said, staring at Yuki, astonished.

. Oni-chan = Elder Brother 


	11. Chapter 7a

Ayame smiled confidently at Yuki and wrestled Yuki to the ground, "So I take it that you brothers have reconciled?" Tohru asked happily. Ayame looked up at Tohru with a face that could catch a good amount of flies. Yuki did the favor to close his mouth. "Ahaha… TOHRU-KUN You have returned!"

Ayame came over to Tohru and pat her head a few times, "Ah, Tohru-kun has the look of an office woman, suitable for such beautiful fabrics such as silk and other elegant clothings for Tohru-kun has changed from a teenager to a lovely, stunning woman. HA HA HA! The last I have seen your face, Tohru-kun, you are suited for white linings and laces and a puppy by your side with white curtains and tea cups and all the bright and innocent colours in the world but now…" Ayame gave her a sly grin and looked over to Yuki cunningly. Yuki blushed slightly and punched his brother.

"HAHAHA! It seems I have been hit by my very own lovable and cute brother!" Ayame said. "Eh? You're eating your dinner? Well then I shan't bother you!"

"No, not that all, I still have some rice in the cooker, shall I take a bowl of rice out?" Tohru said, intending to stand up. Ayame settled down between Yuki and Tohru and slapped the table 3 times, as if calling a waiter, "Well then, _hayaku_, a bowl of rice if you please," Tohru smiled pleasantly and stood up and got a bowl of rice for him.

"Is it impolite of me to ask how you brothers have made up?" Tohru asked shyly.

Ayame regarded Tohru happily, "No, not at all, I would be most delighted to tell the story where Yuki and I have bonded together so well that nothing in this world could tear us apart! Yuki was weak and collapsed while accompanying Momiji. Momiji, not having the strength, called me and I carried him back home, he was touched by this gesture, and now, our kinship can never be broken, HAHAHA!"

Tohru smiled widely and nodded, "Ah, so it was like this!" _I'm glad that Ayame and Yuki had made up… hmm… _Tohru thought, biting her lip, _perhaps I should cook something for Kyou-kun to eat as well, perhaps he has not eaten rice cakes for a very long time? Maybe I should make some for him tomorrow… _Tohru-kun?" Yuki asked, Tohru snapped back to reality, "Ah, yes?"

Yuki regarded Tohru for a very long time, before he smiled softly again with a hint of hurt in his eyes and shook his head. Ayame, seeing this exchange, looked at Yuki and smiled helplessly for Yuki.

[This is part one of Chapter 7. Yes I know, it's very, terribly dry right now, but the climax of the chapter 7 would probably kick off some time in the second part of the chapter. I'm very happy with all the positive comments I'm getting from the reviews, thank you so much for reading my fanfic! Very very nice of you to give such encouraging reviews! bows]

Hayaku – Quick; Hurry


	12. Chapter 7b

Yuki heard the sounds from the kitchen, _ah… back to old times…_ He sneaked out of his bedroom and sneaked a peek at Tohru, she was making rice cakes and sushi, all the Japanese snacks that she was able to make, she did it all. At that time, Yuki wondered why she was out of bed at the break of dawn, but because he was not entirely the guy who is able to think properly in the morning, thus, he went back to bed and thought nothing of it.

By the time she had finished making them, it was merely 8 in the morning, Tohru had specially woken up early to make the snacks. _I'm sure Kyou would like it. _Tohru placed all the snacks in a basket and smiled contently, satisfied of her products. After checking that nobody was following her, she silently went back to the bamboo compound. "Kyou!" She called a few times.

At first, there was silence. She called a few more times, _perhaps he had not heard_, however, the more she called, the more disappointment filled her heart. She looked at the basket and sighed. As she begin to walk away, she heard a grunt. Immediately, whatever disappointment she has in her has disappeared, she turned, "Kyou!"

"Tohru?" Kyou said and went to the window. Tohru, too, went to the window excitedly. Kyou regarded Tohru for a few moments. "Eh? Why are you here for?! I told you to go, you're not supposed to be here,"

"It's okay, I'll be okay," She reassured him. "Look what I've made for you, Kyou-kun!" Tohru said happily, raising the basket. Kyou looked at the basket, "_Baka_," He said and looked away. Tohru looked at the basket, "I've made rice cakes and sushi and no leek!" Tohru laughed. Kyou regarded Tohru for a long while while she explained what she had made. _She remembers… after so long, she could still remember what I dislike and like to eat._ Tohru reached into the basket and pulled out a rice cake, she stretched it out for Kyou to take.

After a few minutes of hesitation, Kyou took the cake, "Fine, I'll eat them, but once I finished, you should go away, this is the last time you're here, you hear me!?" Tohru took a step back, but smiled softly instead, "Hai… eat, Kyou-kun," Everytime he finished his snack, Tohru took out another one and Kyou would look increasingly frustrated, but she dismissed it. She was not as stupid as before to make only a few.

"So how have you been?" Tohru asked dumbly, trying to break the ice. Kyou glared at her, "Same as I've always been, except trapped in this stupid cage, how do you think I've been!?" He said sarcastically as he chewed angrily down his snack. Tohru looked away, a little hurt, but she had gotten used to it and nodded slightly. A hand stretched out in front of her, gesturing for her to put another one of her snacks on his hand, she looked up and blushed slightly, "Ah, hai, here…" She put another on his hand.

"But…" Kyou started to speak just as he finished his last mouthful of food in his mouth, savoring the aftertaste of the snack. Tohru looked up at him as Kyou glanced over at her, maintaining eye contact, "I'm glad you're here now, at least…" Kyou let the sentence fade away and he looked down. He couldn't bring himself to say this, it felt weird to say this to Tohru. _At least whenever I wake up, I would think of you and know that you're here. Your presence somehow gives me…the will, at least, to carry on living, giving me comfort and warmth I've never felt ever since graduation. _He chuckled under his breath. Tohru looked at him and gave an understanding smile, "Hai, _Wakata…_" Kyou smiled back helplessly at her, feeling glad for the bars and the restriction made by the walls from Tohru. Because without it, he knew that he would have hugged her tightly and have, yet the agony of not being able to hug her fully and not being able to feel her warmth against his body.

_Tohru…3 years of solitude and loneliness just disappeared knowing you're here again… hopefully, with me._

Wakata – I understand


	13. Chapter 7c

Chapter 7c

When Kyou has finished all of Tohru's home made snacks, Kyou said thanks. Tohru nodded and smiled, "Then… I should get going now," Kyou nodded in acknowledgement.

"Tohru," Kyou said, "Please don't risk it and come here again, I am content that you are here, but don't come back here again, I… I'm not worth it," Tohru regarded Kyou. Somehow, the words pierced her heart. She turned around, her eyes brimming with tears, "Thank you for your concern, Kyou-kun…"

She saw the shadow behind the bars sag a little, "But I will continue to come here, I don't like it when Kyou-kun is left alone…" Tohru said. She meant what she said. Without letting him have the chance to say what she should or should not do, she ran off, though he never did say anything at all. _Strange, it was not like her to say these kinds of things…_ _What's wrong with me?! _She blushed just at the thought of what she said earlier on.

Akito chuckled as Hatori came into his room. "I want to see that monster," Akito said, as he sticks out a finger and a bird obediently landed on it. "Eh? You have never shown interest in Ky—"

"That _monster has no name_,"

"… …Yes, I will remember that, I'm sorry," Hatori bowed slightly. Akito looked over at Hatori and gave him a sly grin, "I want to see…" He turned back to the bird and jerked a little, the bird flew away and he watched until the bird flew out of sight, before he turned back crossly and laughed sinisterly, "how he _suffers_…"

[After Word]

squeals in delightment I love Akito. Just how I love twisted things. hugs him tightly till he can't breathe I loved the way I portrayed Akito. It was ironically like him to do something like that. That's the end of Chapter 7, hoped you guys like it! 7c is a rather short part neh? ; First time in chapter history... =P 


	14. Chaper 8a

Akito waited for the servant to open the door into the cage. Hatori dutifully stood beside him like a guard. As soon as the door as open, Akito stepped in and waved to Hatori not to follow.

Kyou looked up and met Akito's gaze.

_There was something different in his eyes, _and it was making Akito feeling more and more irritated and angry. _The same expression in those eyes when that girl was here 3 years ago… _Akito clenched his fists tight and aimed straight at Kyou, the force of the blow sending him flying to the other side of the room.

He turned his head, as a tiny white spot catches his eye on the ground and saw a tiny rice grain on the floor. _They never served him any rice when he was caged up. _Akito gritted his teeth. Nobody except the servants were allowed to see him.

Being the God, Akito had a certain power of observance and a great amount of analytical power, and it hit him. The realization causing him such fury in his chest, Akito went over to Kyou and kicked his gut, "_She's been here, hasn't she?!"_ He said, placing every emphasis on every word.

Kyou looked up and defiantly meet his gaze, maintaining silence. _Funny, he has never done that before in his entire caged life._ Akito thought, feeling a burning sensation in his chest. _It's Tohru…_ Akito thought as he slapped Kyou hard on the face, asking the same question again, this time a bit louder. _She's here…_ Kyou looked away, still silent, and Akito knew he was right.

_oh god…_

Akito stepped back a little.

_She's here…_

_[After word]_

_I am so sorry for the short chapter today and not updating for a while but I've been terribly busy… and I will continue to be… but I will try to update whenever I have the time… Hmm... plot of chapter 8 will be on the second part of the chapter... or maybe third... but nevertheless, thanks for reading!_


	15. Chapter 8b

Akito walked briskly out of the cage, letting out a frustrated yell, he walked a bit further and stopped. "Eh?" Hatori looked at him. "Wait here," Akito said and turned back. As he stood in front of the window, he glanced up in the sky.

It was cloudless and the sun was shining mercilessly down, the sky had a very nice blue hue. "Kyou," Akito said eerily. Kyou did not respond, he pretended not to hear. "Your insolence will cause you pain, I assure you of that, and you shall be punished…" Kyou looked away. Akito smirked and looked at him, "Do you know what your punishment is?" This time, Kyou turned to look at him. Akito smiled and whispered, "Tohru," He said and gained pleasure in seeing Kyou's stricken look. He turned around and walked away. Kyou clutched the bars, "_My punishment is my own, don't drag Tohru into this,"_ Kyou said desperately.

This time, it was Akito who pretended not to hear, as he walked off with Hatori. "Hatori-san, you are not needed already, go back home," Akito said. Hatori paused in his tracks, opening his mouth to protest, but Akito had walked further and faster away from him.

_When I find the bitch, she is going to pay drastically for her actions. She will pay… she will pay… _Akito chanted in his thoughts as he turned up in the house where Yuki and Shigure stayed. _Where else would she go to? _Akito thought about the past where she had stayed in Shigure's house. Akito smiled at his brilliance.

The door was unlocked, so Akito, without bothering to remove his shoes, walked right in. "Shigure? Is that –" Yuki glanced up at the man who tormented him all his life. "A…Akito?" Yuki said in surprise. Akito walked right past him and pushed him away. Sensing that something was wrong, he followed Akito, "Please at the very least take off your shoes before entering the house… … …If you're looking for Shigure, he is at work now, do… do you want to leave a message? I'll tell him you –"

"Shut up," Akito said and peered mercilessly at Yuki, his eyes filled with anger and terror. "Where is she?" Akito said as he walked into the kitchen, noticing that the sink was wet and the whole kitchen reeks of gas. _It was been used._ Yuki and Shigure never cooks. _She's been here._ "Who? What?" Yuki asked as if he hasn't have a clue of what Akito was talking about. This made Akito furious, _outraged_ by the fact that Yuki was lying to him, Akito grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled Yuki close to him, "_You know damn well who I am talking about, where is the bitch?!"_

Yuki kept his mouth shut. _That bitch comes back and turns everyone else against me… I swear I will kill her… **kill her!** _Akito let go as soon as he heard some sounds above. He rushed up the stairs, "Yuki-kun? Who is…-" Tohru looked up. Akito registered her surprise and fear.

Akito walked over to her and grabbed her hair, pulling her with him into the nearest room possible. Yuki followed suit, but it was too late, Akito had shut and locked the door just in time. Yuki banged on the door, shouting for Akito to open the door, but Akito did not listen, instead he yelled back, "_Shut up, you insolent brat or I'll lock you up with Kyou to rot in pieces."_ On hearing this, Yuki obeyed but he stayed by the door and tried to listen in.

Akito turned around and smirked at Tohru. "Sit… sit…" Akito said as if the house was his own and he was telling his guest to make herself comfy. Tohru stayed there, too scared to do anything. Akito came up to her and placed his hands on her shoulders, he applied a certain force down, urging for her to sit down.

"_I insist…"_


	16. Chapter 8c

Chapter 8c 

Tohru sat down on the floor obediently and silently, waiting for Akito to say something as he turned away from her. Tohru knew he would go soft at first, and, when you least expected it; he would flare up and yell at the top of his voice, going hysterical. She had been there, done that. She closed her eyes and focused on breathing properly. _In… out… that's right… _

"I suppose you have seen Kyou?" Akito said, looking around the room. It had a balcony and the room was painted white all over. Bookshelves covered every corner and sides of the room, just like a mini library. There was a desk on at the right corner of the room and a cushion to sit on. Piles of paper were stacked on the desk and a stone rest on the top of the pile. The room was, from Tohru's observations, Shigure's work place.

"…yes," Tohru said meekly, as if if she said any louder, it would set off a short fuse in Akito, causing him to rant and rave at her. Akito picked a random book from the shelf and flipped through a few pages, before throwing it on the floor. He picked another book randomly, flipping a few pages, before throwing it on the floor again. He repeats this as if it were a cycle, until he's found a book that he's interested in.

Tohru looked around, letting her guard down for a while. The tension in the room was high. "Have you forgotten that you were the one who left this Souma house, 3 years ago?" Tohru did not say a word at first, but thinking that that would be a bad idea, she nodded, "Hai,"

"Why, then, have you returned? To torment my poor, poor animals again? To come back for only a while, give them a brief taste of happiness before leaving them again?" Akito said nonchalantly, his eyes fixated on the book. Tohru did not answer. She has none.

"Have you noticed, that I have been trying to be very, extremely patient with you right now, right here?!" _Yes, there it goes again…going hysterically insane. _He turned and threw the book at her. The hard edges of the book hitting; jutting into her skin. She hit in recoil. He came swiftly in front of her and kneeled in front of her, leaning his weight on the tip of his toes as he cupped her chin and forced her head up to look at him.

Tohru did not say a word, but she stared deeply into Akito's eyes, hoping she could reach him. "You _shameful…shameful bitch,_" Akito snarled, his fingers digging into her skin, "I told you to stay away from the Souma, I told you to forget the Souma… I had given you a _chance_ to leave and –"

"Akito is still hoping too, isn't he?" Tohru interrupted abruptly, without letting Akito say anything, she continued, "Akito-san could have asked Hatori-san to erase my memories… but you wanted to believe…"

"_What have I got to believe!?_" Akito said, pushing Tohru away while he let go of his grip on her chin, "**_What_**_?!"_ Akito said angrily, raising both his hands in exasperation while standing up. He walked over to the balcony and gripped onto the railings tightly.

Tohru did not say anything. "How much have I slaved and sacrificed for this family… _how much..."_ Akito muttered under his breath, banging both his hands on the railing in fury, not knowing that Tohru had heard it. "And _YOU,"_ Akito turned around and pointed his index at her. He walked nearer to her, still pointing at her. His fingers were trembling, "You_ wretched girl, YOU. You came here, with your ladida ways and practically had everyone charmed, as if you were the god, _You made them forget where they stood in the Souma, worst of all, you made them forget where _I_ stood in the family… and that is completely _unacceptable_…"

He came behind her and gripped hard on a good amount of hair. He pulled back, hearing Tohru made grunting noises as she struggled to control the throbbing pain in her head. "You want to know where you did wrong? _Honda-san?"_ Akito said, pulling her back even more. "Your mistake was to come back here again and practically visited that _monster_ boldly even though it was _restricted area_… and as long as you're in any house owned by the Souma, you are _under my rules_…"

"You claim to say that Kyou-kun is a monster," Tohru started as something deep down her gut started to boil with rage, "but what kind of person would have a human caged up for the rest of his life?!" Tohru said. Akito let go of her hair in astonishment; surprised to have someone ever so boldly questioned what sort of person he is. It was the very first he heard anybody said that about him.

"You claim that this is some sort of tradition in the Souma family, you claim that the Cat must be caged up… and so many other _useless and irrevelant things_…" Tohru continued, "3 years ago, I was ignorant and naïve to have listened to you. You said to leave and never come back here… you said to forget all of the Souma… do you know how much it pains to me to leave the Souma?!" This time, Tohru was hysterical. Unable to control her emotions, she burst into tears. "Do you know that you are taking away everything… _everything_ I've ever known when you told me to leave?!"

"If you had intended to hurt me, you did. Is that what you want?! To make everyone feel as low as you are feeling now?!" Tohru cried. Akito was stunned.

She had hit the spot.

_She was right._


	17. Chapter 8c extra

8c, extra 

_When I was born, I was told about the curse. I was told I was born to die. Can you believe it? Borne to die. What kind of ridiculous and absurd lies were they talking about?!! They told me, I had the power to control the Jyunishi, as if I were God. I laughed and waved my hands, during that time, that's silly, I told them, how could any of this absurdity be true? _

_Silly as it was, it was true._

_I remember the day where I finally understood that I was made to die. My body was weak and frail. I was about five? Six years old? And I was coughing very badly, during that time. I wasn't coughing out phlegm though, it was crimson red, warm and slick. I heard people saying in such low whispers..."Poor... poor child... five and this sickly... such poor, pale skin... five and dying." _

_"What is this?" I had asked. My mother had a look on her face, her face was squished up as it pains her to see me like this. She, instead, just smiled at me, like a mother would for a child and hugged me, cautious of leaving a fine distance between us, as if if she were to hug any tighter, my bones will break. But as I grew older, i realise that she was just trying not to be infected by my germs._

_Wherever I go, for whatever reasons there may be, my heart was always carrying a heavy burden. I would crumple up in the corner of my room and would be so afraid of the dark. The darkness, seemingly, would consume me. And I began to loathe my very existence, for the shadow that I had behind me was like another figure of me, just waiting for the right moment to swallow me up into its world._

_Once, I ever heard my parents quarrelling, it wasn't a common thing that they do. I, as a child, have gotten used to the hysterical shrieks of my mother, the loud yelling of my father and the breaking of glass and whatever not, for there were usually violence involved. They were quarrelling, because I existed in this world. Shrieking, because my mother could not take this pain of having me being sick all the time. Yelling, because my father blames my mother for having born such a cursed child like me. Cursed. What a big word for a child like me to understand, but somehow, I did and it hurt me so much, that I grew angry. Outraged by the fact that my parents did not love me the way I had loved them, furious by the fact that they did not accept me because I was cursed, and such overwhelming self-pity, for I could not be the child they would grow to love._

_I had clenched my hands into fists, while biting back cold, hard tears. Telling myself not to cry, that crying only make one feel weak and vulnerable. I slammed the door and went back to my favorite spot of the room. I kneeled in the corner of the room, I recall, and I began punching the walls while the tears started flowing. _

_Cursed… Cursed! I didn't ask to be born like this! But here I am, CURSED! I thought as I punched the walls again and again, the constant **thud** sounds each time I punched the walls was mortifyingly comforting, as blood trickled down my bruised knuckles. Yet still, I did not care. I hate them. I hate them for not loving me the way I was. _

_I was human, had every right to be human, I was right in front of them. Human! Not cursed! I want to make them see that I was human, with skin and bones and everything else that makes one human. Yet all they could see, was the **curse**. I hate them for seeing only that part of me. And most of all, I hate myself for being cursed. I remember letting out a frustrated shrieks as I pressed my head down my pillow, hoping to block off the high pitched sounds of it._

_After that incident, everything people did to me, I wanted to pay them in double. I want to make them feel what I'm feeling right now. All the things they say and did to make me felt like shit and made me lost everything, my dignity, my pride, my self-worth…, I wanted them to lose it all as well. I wanted them to lose all the things I've lost in myself, I want to make them feel as low as I'm feeling right now, maybe even lower, and actually feel good by the end of the day. Welcome to my shit. _

_Maybe I can't love myself enough, or maybe because of where I grew up in, or maybe because of how I've lived my life that I had become this horrible and childish monster, though, I do not admit that I am one. Who knows._

_I realise, too, that I really **could** control the animals of the Jyunishi. When I asked Shigure to follow me to the garden even though we did not know each other, he miraculously did. When I asked Yuki to wait for me outside the bathroom while I bathed, i had purposely taken an awfully long bath, he did too. Ha! I was cursed, but at least, I was in control. _

"What do you know…" Akito stepped back in horror, "What do you know how I've lived my life?! Or how I feel every time I wake up and find that I'm still alive!" Akito shouted in exasperation. Suddenly afraid because she was able to seemingly read his mind. She was right_, what kind of person is he?!_

Akito buried his face with both his hands. As he thought about what she said, he fought back tears of shame, fear, terror. _And guilt._

[After word]

I dare say, that this is the best and most fun chapter that I have ever written throughout the whole fanfic. Ha! What fun I had writing about Akito's soft spots! Ha!

What fun I had writing about him turning into a big softie! sees Akito glaring at me

Uh, nevertheless, I still adore Akito very much. I enjoyed writing up his past too. Yes, weird to see Akito having almost cried, but somehow, I enjoyed writing that. Lolx! Hope you enjoyed it so far! Little inside news was that, I had extracted an excerpt from my very own blog and pasted it in because I felt it was very suited for the fanfic. Can you guess where?


	18. Chapter 8d

Chapter 8d

"What do I know..." Tohru said softly and looked down.

Wordlessly, Tohru cupped his hands into hers. He looked up as she placed his hands above his chest, feeling the beating of his heart. She looked at him and smiled, "Can you feel it?"

Akito did not respond. He was unable to. _For the first time, I looked at Tohru and I saw something charming in her, perhaps that was what made the rest of the Jyunishi love her so much. She was utterly respectable, young for her age but amazingly wise for it. _Akito thought.

"Yes, I do not know how you've lived your life… I do not know how one feels like because I am not you. But why, Akito-san? Why do you want to take away your very own life? When you are given only one lifetime ever…" Tohru paused, biting on her lip before she continue, "It must have taken a different kind of desperation to want to die…but…if you think that you are only made to die, why then, can you feel your own heart beating, should it have stopped the minute you were born?"

Tohru bit back tears, "When my mother died, I wanted to join her as well. I felt that –" Tohru closed her eyes for a while, willing for the tears to go away, but it did not listen, one lone tear fell from her eyes. _Tip_, it went when the tear hit the floor. "I felt that there was no more reason to go on living… I have no one else…I had felt only numbness in my heart. But then, there were Uo-chan and Saki to help me tide through those days. And hunger was the one evidence that I am still living,"

"You were lucky," Akito said finally. Tohru looked up in astonishment, _how honored it is to have Akito finally opening up to her! _

"You had someone with you… I have… absolutely no one…" Akito said, as if resigning to his awful fate, "No one at all…"

_Is this what Shigure has said about the burden in his heart? _Tohru thought. _His grandfather had also said something similarly to that when he had died._

"You do have someone," Tohru said, "Everyone would have someone in their lives to cheer them up when they're sad…" Tohru smiled at him helplessly, hoping what she had said wasn't too corny, but it was, nevertheless, true.

Akito threw his head back and laughed, "Even a cursed one like me? Who could that person be!?" He paused and taunted, "You?" Tohru looked at him and blushed slightly, "I could try," Tohru said, feeling like a child trying to prove to her parent that she could take on any challenge. Akito paused and looked at her, "You _are_ a shameful girl," Akito said and walked over to the door, Tohru sighed helplessly, feeling like she had not accomplished anything.

"But…" Akito smiled, for the first time, genuinely, "Thank you," Tohru looked at him and stood up. She walked over to him, as he unlocked the door. Yuki was, as usual, standing at the door, blushing madly at being caught eavesdropping, but he stepped in front, disregarding Akito's presence, "Tohru? Are..." He glanced at Akito before speaking softly, "Are you all right?"

Tohru nodded, feeling a little bit strange, like this isn't happening at all, like it's a dream.

_I don't get it…_ Tohru said and looked at Akito worriedly, _It's too easy…_

__

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_[after word]_

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_And that's the end of another chapter! At this rate, Chapter 9 would announce the finale of the whole fan fiction, but with loads of parts. ; ... I am now working on a plot of what happens after The Day After She Returned because I already know how it would end. THANKS FOR THE REALLY POSITIVE REVIEWS I'VE BEEN GETTING!!!! That's really really very nice of you guys! Thanks again!_

__

_The second sequel of The Day After She Returned would be named differently, as it could also be as a stand-alone fanfic..Hope you enjoyed the last part of the chapter. I tried to end it in an attempt to be sinisterly suspenseful, but gah, no hope. haha. shakes my head _


	19. Chapter 9a

Chapter 9a  
  


In regards of the question Princess asked, I sleep at 11:30pm It's 7:30pm right now where I live. Hehe…

_Sickening, disgusting little twerp. How shameful! _Akito kicked the ground, his heart in a fluster. _I won't let her off that easily… how could she just patronize me like that… how could she… _Akito stepped into the Main house and paced around a bit.

_She read my mind, I swear she did… and she used that against me… I won't be fooled that easily. That horrid shit. _

_I'll kill her!_ With that, Akito kicked a pot of plant. It crashed on the ground, leaving a heap of wet soil on the ground, with roots sticking out like a sore thumb. Akito sat down, trying to calm down. Somehow, whilst trying to calm himself down, he realized that he had intended to kill Tohru when he wanted to confront her. He punched the ground. _Why didn't he do it?!_

He stood up again and paced around. _How could she read my mind like that… how could she make him believe that all life is perfect even when one is cursed!? That is utterly stupid!… ARGH!_

Akito paused in his tracks, and in such a hurry, he made his way back to Kyou. "Kyou…" Akito spoke, Kyou rushed to the bars and glanced at Akito worriedly. Akito smirked. He does like Tohru… even after so long. "I had a talk with her," He said. Kyou tightened his grip on the bars. Akito chuckled, "Oh, you wouldn't want to hear about it, especially after what she said about you…"

"…" Kyou looked away, "She wouldn't say anything bad about anyone,"

"Oh, you never know, it's been 3 years. She's changed a lot…" Akito said and paused, "Haven't you noticed?" Akito looked at Kyou and smirked. Kyou remained silent. There was a very long pause and Akito was beginning to enjoy this mind-playing game. _It was all part of his plan_…

"What…" Kyou started, "What did she say about me?" …_Yes! He took the bait… Poor fragile Kyou… _

Akito looked at his nails nonchalantly, "I told her how nice she was, to be seeing you again and she laughed at me. She told me she was merely patronizing you," Akito glanced over at Kyou, seeing that Kyou was facing away, but one of his hands were clutching so tightly on the bar that his knuckles were turning white. Akito silently laughed in his heart. "She told me that she was afraid…"

"Afraid of what?"

"Of you, Kyou… of you… She felt that if she did not treat you any better, you would turn into the monster that you are, and kill her…"

"How could she say such a thing…" Kyou gripped on the bar harder.

"If you don't believe me…" Akito said, "You could come with me and ask Tohru herself…"

Kyou did not say a word of protest. Akito gestured for the servant to open the door. When the door was opened, Kyou went over to Akito like a child who has just found his mother. "Why are you so nice to me so suddenly?" Kyou asked. _Such a weak and vulnerable mind…_ Akito coughed a little and gestured for him to lead, as he silently laughed atthe Cat's, natural borne, sheer stupidity.

_[after word]_

_1) __Kyou is born rather stupid. In the anime, though he started learning martial arts earlier than Yuki, Yuki still surpass Kyou by a lot._

_2) __Kyou really sensed a change in Tohru. _

_3) __Kyou has been too blinded because of the long term stay in a cage, therefore not being able to see through Akito's plan._

_4) __Akito had raised his liability in his lies because he told Kyou to confront Tohru herself._

_Those are the reasons why Kyou believed Akito. Hope it wasn't too dumb. _


	20. Chapter 9b

Chapter 9b

* * *

[Note]

Hello everyone who's reading this! I'm really warmly encouraged by so many positive reviews I am getting. Now that school has reopened, I have lesser time to update, so I hope you all could forgive me if I can't update, as I have to juggle from my co-curricular activities, my student council meetings and whatever not…Lots of love to you sweethearts who have been reading my fan fiction!

hugs!

Ps: From here on, I'll post bits and bobs of the chapter… sorry!!

* * *

"Tohru? I am going out for a while… Shigure would not be home until dinner because he has some things to settle with his editor, as usual…" Yuki said, while opening the fridge. He took out an apple and took a hearty bite on it. Tohru nodded distractedly, her heart still pumping from the early afternoon's confrontation. _Something is not right_… She thought but shook off the thought and washed up whatever she did in the morning.

Akito and Kyou walked side by side each other. Akito took about an arm's length away from him, feeling more and more disgusted by the minute. _What irony_, he thought, _to be standing side by side with a monster_. _A murderous monster_. Akito placed a hand above his chest and focused on the beatings of his heart.

_Funny… the burden seemed to be…_

Akito shook off whatever he was thinking and noticed that Kyou was walking faster and faster, urgent to get to Tohru as fast as possible. Akito paced faster. He wasn't usually the one who would lag behind. _No, it can't be._

By the time he reached, Kyou turned around to acknowledge him, he turned around to face Tohru. Tohru was looking panicky, shifting her gaze at Kyou and Akito. "What's going on!?" She said with a note of panic in her voice.

_Oh god… _Tohru thought, her heart beating faster and faster as her adrenaline pumps throughout the body. _This can't be happening_…

"Go on, Kyou…" Akito said, coming up close to Kyou. Akito smiled sinisterly, "Tell her how you really feel…" With a swift movement, Akito snapped the bracelet on Kyou's wrist. The beads fall and bounce off the floor, _thud-thud-thud_ it went. Akito stepped behind and chuckled softly as smoke covered all around Kyou. _The stench_… Akito could not stand it and turned around, closing his eyes while taking in as much fresh air as possible.

The smoke subsided and it showed Kyou's monstrous form. Tohru was on the brink of tears, as her voice shook terribly, "Kyou… _what happened?!_"

"_Stop that disgusting pretense_," Kyou said, shooting every hate and fury he has in his voice. Tohru gasped, just a simple phrase… but his words had hurt so much. Her heart piercing, tearing up into two. She felt her knees go weak, and within seconds, she fell to her knees, trying to breathe. Akito laughed silently in his heart.

"… If…" Tohru started, feeling something heavy at the back of her throat. She swallowed hard, fighting to keep the tears away, "If I had been pretending… Wouldn't I have left, that minute when I saw you turn…?" Kyou looked at her slightly taken aback.

"She's lying to you, Kyou… look how she left 3 years ago…" Akito said, toying with his feelings.

"Shut up," Tohru said sharply. Disappointment… Anger… Hurt… Heart-wrenching sorrow clouded her heart. For a spilt second, Akito stepped back a bit, completely surprised, but he gritted his teeth, "Don't tell me to—"

"Shut up, Akito-san… You were the one who told me to leave…" Tohru said and pointed her index at him, "_You_…" She spat in fury, "I was _stupid_ to believe you and fall into your wicked ploy…"

"It was for the good of the Souma, I knew you were pretending—" Akito stopped abruptly, realizing that he had spoilt his whole plan. Kyou, now turning to look fiercely at him, "Y… You lied to me!?" His eyes portraying such innocence and anger that Akito almost felt sorry for him.

_What a minute…_Akito almost felt sorry for the monster. _I must be crazy…_

Within seconds, Akito's chest was bursting in fury and he lunged for the monster's neck in a frustrated yell, such that he was on top of Kyou. "If you won't do it, _I will after I kill you, you damn monster…_" He applied a certain force down, such that Kyou was suffering, but not enough to kill him. Yet.

Tohru gasped and came in front of Akito, placing both her hands gently on Akito's arm. The touch sending a jolt down Akito; But a strangely, comforting jolt, the nice sort of jolt that one would like to feel. Tohru felt Akito tensed up under her touch, but relaxed for a while later, once he was accustomed to her touch.

"Akito... –san…" Tohru pleaded softly, so soft that Akito had to strain to hear. She was, in mental exhaustion, from that early afternoon's confrontation to Kyou's angry, hurting words and finally, the pain of watching Akito force strength down on Kyou, watching Kyou suffer.

_And no one was there; just her to save him, just her to deal with Akito. Yet, just the presence of Kyou here with her, just the comfort of Kyou believing and trusting her again… _

"…Kyou… still believes you after all the things you did to him… Do you see how needed you are…_Why do you keep thinking that we all hate you so much so that we wished you dead?!_ The Souma needs you… because in every household, there has to be a leader. And all leaders are respected, that's what make people follow them," Tohru said and paused for a while, catching her breath, her hands still on his arm.

Before she continue, she felt Akito's arms relaxed a little more, his grip no longer as tight as before on Kyou. Tohru bit back tears, but somehow, they did not listen as tears trickled down her face, down Akito's arm.

"In fact, everyone is grateful about your presence because you hold such an important role in the Souma. Without you, I'm not sure what will become of it…" Tohru said. Akito's arm tensed up again and flung it, sending Tohru flying.

"_Liar!"_

"Tohru!" Kyou yelled. Akito turned his attention back to Kyou and this time, he forced his full strength down, hesitating, though, whether to kill him now. He let go for a little while.

"Why don't you kill him?" Tohru asked and paused, "There is still hope in you, you want to believe that you are not hated at all… but the simple truth is, you aren't. You more greatly respected than you think you are," Tohru said.

"Shut up," Akito said, trembling.

"My mother once said…" Tohru began, "to believe rather than doubt," She said, recalling her words, the ringing comfort in her voice, as if she was still right here beside her, telling her to be just like herself, telling her that she could do it. _Oh god, how she missed her mother so…yet there was no turning back time… and she had to accept the harsh reality that she was gone._ "I did… and I realized that I'm not as pitiful as I thought I was when I was suddenly alone without a kin to relate to, it was hard at first…"

"Because I was like you once, I thought that nobody cared, I thought that everybody was just patronizing me when they weren't at all…" Tohru said and looked at the floor, afraid to blink now for the tears were right on the brink of falling. Finally, the tear fell and she was crying so hard now, she was making little gasping noises, shaking terribly.

"Sometimes, the simple truth is just right in front and yet you can't see it," Tohru stood up and walked over to Akito as she kneeled down, "Believe than doubt, Akito-san… If you claim that your life was made to die, why are you still alive? And if so, why can't you make full use of the time you have left to enjoy it? Rather than to make you and the rest of the Souma miserable?"

Tohru looked at Akito, "If you had to choose, if _anybody_ had to choose, wouldn't you want to be happy, than to be sad?"

Akito turned to Tohru, trembling slightly. _Strange, he could almost feel like something is controlling him… but now, he had finally the will to fight back this itty bitty feeling down there, somewhere in his gut which is controlling him. _Akito grabbed her wrists, not forcefully, but gently. "Th… Thank you," He said and smiled helplessly.

Within minutes, something extraordinary happened. A black aura surrounded Akito, it whirled around him for a while, Tohru remained where she was, shocked to see such a happening. The aura whirled around Akito, making Akito look as if he was in the middle of a hurricane.

Akito looked like he was in pain, as he let out a yell. "Akito-san!" Tohru called. Slowly, the black aura dissipated as Akito fell and hit the ground and fainted. The same happened to Kyou, as an orange aura surrounded him like a hurricane, but it wasn't as bad as Akito's. Kyou did not faint. He lay there for a few moments, blinking a few times and breathing heavily.

"Ky… Kyou-kun?" Tohru looked at him. He had turned back into his human form. He sat up and looked at Akito. "Ah… hmm… I bet Akito should have felt the same way," Kyou said distractedly. Tohru blinked, "Eh?"

Kyou stood up and swept Akito up, carrying him to the bedroom as he lay Akito down to rest. Tohru followed. He looked at Akito, as his chest bobbed up and down while he breathed. For a moment, there were only silence.

But with a swift moment, Kyou hooked Tohru's waist and pulled her in. Tohru let out a gasp in shock, but as his arms wrapped around her and actually felt prolonged warmth, with his body pressed against hers in a warm embrace. She knew, that the curse, had been broken as Kyou is still there, in his human form.

Tears of joy ran down her face as she wrapped her arms around his body, she smiled happily, calling his name. She felt one of his hands stroking her hair and she dissolved happily in his arms. "_Aishiteru_…" She heard him say softly into his ears. She blushed madly, her ears turning pink over this confession, feeling her heart jumping with such joy and exhilaration. "Hn," Tohru nodded happily, unable to give a reply for the moment. Kyou pulled her in closer to him, _never fearing of transforming again_…He_ must_ say it again:

"_Aishiteru…"_

Aishiteru – I love you


	21. Chapter 9c

Chapter 9c

Just then, Akito let out a small grunt and that brought the end of their embrace. Tohru blushed and straightened out her skirt, she looked down, "Um… uh… I…I'll just be… going to fetch some water for Akito when he wakes up," She said and made a move to go out, but Akito's hand stretched out and grabbed onto Tohru's wrist. "Wait," Tohru looked back, "Akito-san?"

"Kyou, I'd like to have a chat with her, if you don't mind," Akito said. His tone of voice turned sincere and soft, he has become such a changed man. Kyou nodded obediently, he glanced at Tohru once more and nodded, as if trying to say _I'll take my leave now, you'll take care ok?_ Tohru, as if having some sort of telepathic skills, nodded back and blushed. With a _bang_, the door was closed.

Akito sat up with the help from Tohru. He turned to look at her, "Thank you," Tohru looked at him and nodded, smiling pleasantly. "I did nothing," Tohru said, "I was just voicing out my feelings,"

"No," Akito said, "Your words were… so comforting. In the past, I hated myself, I thought I was born to be horrible and obnoxious," Akito chuckled under his breath softly and helplessly, as he placed a hand on his forehead. "But after that first confrontation, I… I don't know how I felt but somehow, the burden in my heart was somewhat… gone, you healed me, Tohru," Akito said astonished. "I don't know how you did it, but… you did," Akito said.

"When you were talking to you, part of me is believing you, but the other just, won't listen… and that was the curse that was controlling me, telling me not to… then, you asked me something, and I felt, yeah, I want to be happy, why should I be sad? What reason have I got to be? And suddenly, I felt like…" Akito drifted off a bit, remembering that feeling when the curse was lifted. "I felt like something inside me is clinging onto me, not wanting to break out, I thought I would have lost my mind then, but you called me… Gawd, I'm so glad you did because it brought me back to where I want to be, and that _thing_ in me is driven out of my body, if you hadn't called my name back then, I think I would have gone back to my old, horrible self,"

"It… was excruciatingly pain for me, but once it had been driven out of me… I… I felt so _good_. I've never felt like that in such a long time, in fact, it was the very first I did feel that good," Akito threw his head back and laughed, for the very first time. "All these years, I thought I was controlling the Souma family well… I thought I was in control, in power… you know?" Akito looked at Tohru, who is smiling politely. "But then… it was actually the curse which is telling me what to do and what not…" Akito leaned back and closed his eyes, "Thank you so much, Tohru…"

"It… It was nothing,"

"And you're right, I have been believing and hoping you could break the curse, somewhere deep inside of me. Some itty, bitty gnawing little instinct deep down in my gut hoping for you to break it. When you left 3 years ago, I… I guess all hope was lost,"

Tohru sagged her shoulders, feeling a bit angry yet happy that Akito was telling her his feelings. "But you came back," Akito said and smiled helplessly like a child at Tohru, "You…" Akito let it trail off… _are one amazing person_…

"I'm fine now; I think I can make it back to the Main House on my own… I think the rest of them must be feeling something different…" Akito stood up and wobbled from side to side for a while, before he was steady. When he was, "You still owe Kyou an answer…" he said and opened the door before Tohru know it, he was gone.

Kyou was just waiting for her outside of the room, leaning his back against the wall, his hands in his pockets. He looked up at Tohru silently and looked back down on the ground. Tohru smiled at him, "Kyou-kun! I'm just going to make dinner, would you like to join me in the kitchen?" Kyou looked at her and nodded silently as the both of them made their way to the kitchen.

"Tadaima!" Tohru heard Yuki and Shigure, "Okairi!" Tohru called from the kitchen. Yuki came, unsuspectingly, into the kitchen and looked up. "…" Yuki stared at Kyou with his mouth wide open in surprise, Shigure joined in and he, too, looked up at Kyou in surprise. "Stop looking at me like that, you irritating buggers!" Kyou yelled frustrated, waving a knife in his hand.

"_Why are you here?_" Yuki snarled, "Huh, now who's the stupid one?! Don't you feel anything different now?" Kyou asked, happy to know, for once, that he was not the stupid one. Yuki paused and thought for a while, "Ye… Yeah, I wanted to ask Tohru when I got back, until I saw you,"

"The curse is broken, Yuki-kun!" Tohru smiled widely.

"Yuki…-kun?" Kyou looked at Tohru in astonishment, and somehow, he felt jealousy boiling in his gut. "Broken?"

"TOHRU-KUN" Shigure exclaimed, breaking off the tension that has been building among the trio, he stretched out his arms, "TOHRU GIVE UNCLE GURE-SAN A BIIIIG HU—"

"Dream on," Kyou said, extending his hands to block Tohru from Shigure's arms. Shigure pouted, "Come on… can't we share?" Shigure asked innocently. "NO!" Yuki and Kyou exclaimed together. "Tohru!" A cheerful voice rang, Tohru looked over Kyou's shoulders and smiled happily, "Momiji-kun!"

Momiji jumped, obviously still as hyper and childish as ever, and gave Tohru a big hug, he hugged her so tightly that she could hardly breathe. "Eh… eh… stop it, Tohru's turning blue," Kyou said protectively. Momiji loosened his grip and looked at Kyou, "Oh Kyou, stopped being so tense! It's the first ever I'm hugging her without having to transform!" Momiji pouted.

"HAHAHA!" Within a flash, Ayame had swept Tohru off her feet. She blushed madly, "EH?!?!?" Kyou glared at Ayame, while Yuki gave a helpless sigh, "Where did he come from…?"

"Ayame, put her down," Hatori said from behind, his cool and calm tone has never changed. Ayame did, obediently. Within minutes, Hiro and Kisa had arrived too, "Wow! All of you are here!" Tohru exclaimed happily.

Momiji nodded, "We came here as soon as Akito said you were here and has broken the curse!" With that, he stepped onto the counter, "THIS CALLS FOR A TRIP TO THE SOUMA'S BUNGALOW!" He exclaimed.

"Hoi, quit fooling around, you'll fall from there," Kyou said and grabbed Momiji down. "I can make plans today and we could go tomorrow!"

"Doesn't Tohru need to work?" Hatori asked, _he seemed happier now…_ Tohru noticed, _everyone is_… She smiled at him and nodded, "Hai, but I have the end of this week before going back," Hatori nodded. "aya-san… Have you been… cheating behind my back again?" Shigure said, striking his most charming pose at him, Ayame turned to look at Shigure, "How can I… gure-san…" Ayame said, too, striking his most alluring pose. At the same time, both of them gave a thumbs up and smiled at each other.

"Ah… Everybody's here except Akito-san!" Tohru pointed out, "If we want to make a trip to the Souma's bungalow, everybody must go…" Tohru said thoughtfully. "Hai hai! Tohru-kun We shall leave tomorrow and be back here by Sunday afternoon!" Momiji said cheerfully. Tohru looked at him and smiled and nodded.

Tadaima (Ta-da-ee-ma): I'm back!

Okairi (oh-Ka-ee-ree): Welcome back!

[After Word]

You guys are so nice! I thought the story came out really lame and when I found like 6 mail messages in my inbox, I was thinking: _uh oh, I think it'll be hate mail this time. _Good gawd, I was so relieved when it wasn't and I appreciated it! THANKS!!!!! And nope, it's not yet the end! There's still one last chapter… before it ends. But no wait! It's still not the end! There's still a sequel to it! I didn't really think that people would read my after word because, I mean, it is really nothing related to the story and all that…, but wow, thanks for reading them! And yes, I'll be writing a sequel in a different name because that other fanfic can also be a stand-alone thing.

hugs to all who have been reading!

A little summary on the next sequel:

Kyou and Tohru became roommates after the curse was broken and had been going out for 5 years. (so both of them is 25 years old now, working and all, not married though!) And then Kyou meets a strange yet persistent lady… all temptations are great, especially when Kyoru's relationship is getting a bit sour… Can he resist?


	22. Chapter 10 FINALE!

Chapter 10

_Tohru… all this while when I had the curse, I had been wanting to…_ Yuki shook his head. _No, that ain't right._ He tried again. He had been doing that ever since they came to the bungalow and somehow, he hadn't managed to muster enough courage to tell her.

Come to think of it, Kyou had been acting so strangely. It was not like him to be so nice to Tohru even when Yuki knew he was angry. When he went out, he noticed everybody was in whispers. "Tohru…?" Yuki asked and looked at Momiji who was smiling so widely. "Tohru went to the backyard with Kyou!"

"…with Kyou?" Yuki felt something pierced his heart, but he tried to dismiss it. He nodded and rushed out inconspicuously.

Kyou was blushing while he pulled Tohru with him by her hand. He stopped abruptly. Tohru bumped into him and knocked her head. Kyou widened his eyes, "Are you all right?" He rubbed her head lightly. Tohru looked down and blushed as she nodded slightly.

"What do you want to see me about, Kyou-kun?" Tohru looked up at him. For the first time ever since they reached the bungalow that they had maintained, actually maintained eye contact. They stared into each other's eyes for a minute or two, for one moment, Tohru thought they were about to kiss. "Can I…" He started, looking into her eyes, her heart seemed to pump so fast, she thought it was going to burst.

She inhaled deeply, trying to ease away the quick beatings of her heart, but it didn't and she was afraid that he might hear it. He traced her face with his fingers, from her eyebrows, down her cheeks and finally he cupped her chin. Leaning in, he felt her tiptoe a bit, for he was a bit too tall. It was like a hands-and-glove effect, they fit together so perfectly. He bends down while she tip toed naturally, feeling like it was not the first time they ever kissed. He pressed his lips against hers, and she accepted it. They pulled away for a second, just centimeters away from each other while they took the time to look into each other's eyes, and he pressed his lips against hers again.

Her lips were soft and sweet, he thought and as he pulled away a bit, he pecked her on her nose, then on her forehead. Feeling like he was going to burst, this was just like ecstasy.

_To be embracing Tohru for the first time…_

_To be kissing her for the first time…_

_He had always dreamed about doing these to her; Being with her when she's sad, help her in the kitchen, cuddle with her in front of the TV. She was the first person he would love, and would ever love._

She looked at him. He regarded her softly. And as if speaking a language of their own, they both smiled at the same time. He pulled her in again and they both dissolve in the embrace. "Can I love you, Tohru?" Kyou asked dumbly. Tohru laughed softly and punched him softly at his chest. He catches her fists and grinned. She looked up and catches his grin, and meekly nodded.

Yuki stopped short in his tracks as he gaped at the couple. His heart dropping, _no…_ sank and literally disappeared. He clenched his fists, feeling his chest burning, as if on fire each time he inhaled. He clutched hard on his chest and tried to breathe. _Oh god… oh god oh god oh god… how can this… happen… this is not happening… she… she chose him. oh no, god, no… _He shook his head repeatedly as he looked down. And it frustrates him even more, that whenever he looked up, there they were, in a warm embrace, happily _irritatingly_ together.

_All my life, I was far better than Kyou. I was much better than him in his studies, as little effort as I put in my work and as hard as he might work, he would never succeed me. He would never win. Kyou started on martial arts much earlier than me, yet I had never failed to beat and embarrass him each time Kyou engages a fight with me. _

_Perhaps I was too confident. _

_…_

_…_

_Perhaps I should have lost. Maybe that way, Tohru might pay more attention to me, might sympathize me more… and from there, feelings might grow. Maybe I should have been more confident to tell her she could call me by my name, perhaps she might feel closer to me. _

_But I lost. _

_I lost Tohru to Kyou. The only one I **don't** want to lose to Kyou. Yet I have lost. _

_Lost to Kyou for the very first time._

_The first and the most hardest to accept. _

Yuki buried his face in his hands, like his head would fall off any minute and stayed there for a good whole minute. "Tohru was never meant to love you, Yuki," Yuki heard Akito speak behind him. He turned to face Akito. "The curse was broken because she loves Kyou and accepts his other form," Akito spoke, folding his arms. Akito held out a hand for him to take, Yuki took it and let Akito pull him up. "You know that," Akito said.

Yuki nodded slightly and looked back, "Perhaps I was too confident…I keep thinking maybe Tohru wasn't meant to break the curse at all… yet…"

Akito chuckled, "You're just in denial," Yuki looked away from the couple and back at Akito. Yuki gritted his teeth, his heart in pain.

As they walked away, Yuki turned to see the couple one last time, look at the person he lost to for the very first time and gritted his teeth.

Akito looked over at Yuki and smiled.

"I knew you would come back to me…_Souma Yuki_…"

THE END

[After Word]

The sequel for The Day After She Returned will be named in another title... that is, not The Day After She Returned II… as the other story can also be a stand-alone fanfic. This is the end of The Day After She Returned and I had a LOT of fun writing it!

Thanks to those who have read my fanfic!!


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